In a surface emitting laser element, typically, laser oscillation occurs by causing light to resonate between two light reflecting layers (distributed bragg reflector layers (DBR layers)). Then, conventionally, the surface emitting laser element is configured from an InGaAsP-based compound semiconductor material, and output light is red light to infrared light, and is used for optical communication or as a light source of a laser printer. However, in recent years, a surface emitting laser element using a nitride-based compound semiconductor has been announced (for example, see Applied Phys Express 2008 121102), and study of image display devices using the surface emitting laser element has been diligently in progress.